JP2949213B2 - Method and apparatus for chamfering end edge of optical fiber and grindstone - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for chamfering the peripheral edge of an optical fiber and a grindstone used for the chamfering, and particularly to a multi-core optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 4C, when a peripheral edge (edge) of a clad 1b of each optical fiber end face of a multi-core optical fiber 1 is chamfered, the multi-core optical fiber 1 is inserted into a center hole of a shaft 3 of a motor 2. The optical fiber clamp 4 attached to the tip of the shaft 3 is clamped, and the strand 1d (comprising the core 1a and the clad 1b) at the tip of one optical fiber to be chamfered is mounted on the base 5. Is rotatably inserted into the guide hole 6a of the wire guide 6, and the flat fiber 8 attached to the XY stage 7 is applied to the edge of the clad 1b slightly projecting from the guide hole 6a, and the optical fiber is rotated by the motor. And polished.

After polishing, the optical fiber is inserted into the guide hole 6.
a, and the optical fiber to be chamfered is inserted into the guide hole 6a and polished in the same manner as described above. The optical fibers other than the optical fiber passed through the guide hole are bent so as not to hinder the polishing as shown in FIG. 4B, and are fixed to the clamp 4 or the like by the string 9 so as not to return.

[0004]

In the conventional chamfering apparatus, operations such as inserting or pulling out each of the multi-core optical fibers one by one into a wire guide, and curving and fixing a fiber other than the optical fiber to be polished with a string are performed. And the efficiency of the entire chamfering operation is low. In addition, there is a risk that the wires may be accidentally applied to the guides during the operations such as the above-described insertion / extraction and bending, thereby causing breakage.

An object of the present invention is to solve these conventional problems and to provide a chamfering apparatus and method with high working efficiency and no risk of breakage of a wire.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) In the chamfering method according to the first aspect, the tip of the multi-core optical fiber to be processed is cut in a uniform length, and the coating on the tip is peeled off over a predetermined length to obtain a strand (from the core and the clad). ) Is exposed, and the tip of each optical fiber is V-groove (having a constant pitch) parallel to the Y axis of the clamp (the XY plane formed by the Y axis and the X axis is parallel to the reference plane).
To fix one end so that it protrudes from the V-groove by a predetermined length.
A conical grindstone, in which a second optical fiber is fitted and fixed in the center hole of the body, is eccentrically fixed by δ to one end of a shaft parallel to the Y axis of the motor, and is fixed in parallel with the second optical fiber. The end is clamped through a hole formed along the axis of the shaft so as to slightly protrude from the other end of the shaft so that the eccentric direction of the conical grinding wheel with respect to the shaft coincides with the X-axis (or Z-axis) direction. The other end of the multi-core optical fiber is connected to the light source, and the amount of light emitted from the other end of the second optical fiber is measured with an optical power meter (or the other end of the second optical fiber). Light from the light source is incident on the optical fiber, and the other end of the multi-core optical fiber to be processed is connected to the optical power meter), and the optical fiber to be processed by the XYZ stage is adjusted so that the indicated value of the optical power meter is maximized. Move and adjust the second And aligning the fiber end face,
The optical fiber to be processed is moved in the X-axis (or Z-axis) direction by -δ (δ is the eccentric amount) by the XYZ stage,
The axis is aligned with the axis of the shaft, and the motor is rotated.
By moving in the axial direction, the peripheral edge of the end face is chamfered.

(2) A chamfering apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is a base having an upper surface having a reference plane parallel to the XY plane, an XYZ stage movably mounted on the base, and an axis of a cylindrical shaft. And a second optical fiber, which is different from the multi-core optical fiber, is fitted and fixed in the center hole of the body, and the motor is fixed on the base so that the motor has a predetermined height in parallel with the Y axis. A conical grinding wheel mounted eccentrically and parallel to the tip end and clamped so that the other end of the second optical fiber projects slightly beyond the other end through a hole formed along the axis of the shaft; An XYZ stage movably mounted on a base, and fixed on a V-groove parallel to the Y-axis with the end faces of each optical fiber of the multi-core optical fiber facing the grindstone mounted on the XYZ stage. Clamp and multi-core optical fiber A light source for inputting light to the other end of the optical fiber (or the second optical fiber), an optical power meter for measuring an amount of light emitted from the other end of the second optical fiber (or the optical fiber to be processed), and an optical fiber to be processed It consists of a microscope that magnifies the end face and around the grindstone.

(3) In the grinding stone according to the third aspect, an optical fiber is fitted and fixed in a center hole of a cylindrical body, and a conical grinding surface is formed protruding at one end of the body, and the vicinity of a sharp end of the grinding surface. Then, the position of one end of the optical fiber is adjusted. In use,
The other end of the body is mounted parallel to one end of the motor shaft, the other end of the optical fiber is fitted and fixed in a hole formed along the axis of the shaft, and the optical fiber end face is connected to the other end of the shaft. It is slightly protruded from the end, and is rotationally driven by a motor in this state.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described in the order of steps with reference to FIGS. In these figures, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. (1) The tip of the multi-core optical fiber to be processed is cut with a uniform length, and the coating on the tip is peeled off by a predetermined length to expose the strand (similar to the conventional FIG. 4C).

(2) Each optical fiber 1 of the multi-core optical fiber 1
a of the clamp (lower) 11a made of metal or the like
To a V-groove 12 (having a constant pitch p) parallel to the axis (an XY plane formed by the Y axis and the X axis is parallel to the reference plane)
A clamp (upper) 1 made of a rubber-like elastic material is arranged from above, with one end of each element wire protruding from the V groove 12 by a predetermined length.
Hold down with 1b.

(3) The motor 2 is held on the mounting base 15 so that the axis Lc of the shaft 3 is parallel to the Y axis and at a predetermined height from the reference surface 5a of the base 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the conical grindstone 8 is eccentrically fixed by δ to one end of the shaft 3 of the motor 2 toward the clamp 11 and fixed in parallel. The conical whetstone 8 has a second optical fiber 14 fitted and fixed in a center hole 8b of a cylindrical body 8a, and a conical grinding surface 8c protrudingly formed at one end of the body 8a. The position of one end of the second optical fiber 14 is aligned near.

(4) The other end of the second optical fiber 14 led out from the other end of the body 8a is passed through a hole formed along the axis of the shaft 3, and an optical fiber clamp (FIG. 4A)
As above). The tip of the optical fiber protrudes slightly from the clamp. (5) The eccentric direction of the conical grinding wheel 8 with respect to the shaft 3 is X
The shaft 3 is rotated and adjusted so as to coincide with the axis (or Z axis) direction. The rotation adjustment can be performed with the microscope 20 or the like.

(6) Connect the other end of the multi-core optical fiber 1 to the light source 16
And the amount of light emitted from the other end of the second optical fiber 14 is measured by the optical power meter 18 (or light is incident on the other end of the second optical fiber 14 from the light source 16 and the multi-core optical fiber 1 The other end to be processed is connected to the optical power meter 18), and the multi-core optical fiber 1 is moved and adjusted by the XYZ stage 7 so that the indicated value is maximized. The optical axis (axis) La is aligned with the optical axis (equivalent to the axis of the grindstone) Lb of the second optical fiber 14 facing (FIG. 2A).

(7) The clamp 11 is moved to -δ by the XYZ stage 7 (δ is the amount of eccentricity of the grindstone 8 with respect to the shaft 3).
Only in the X-axis (or Z-axis) direction to align the axis La of the optical fiber to be processed with the axis Lc of the shaft (FIG. 2B (a)). (8) The clamp 11 is moved toward the grindstone 8 by the XYZ stage 7 while visually observing the microscope 20, and the end face of the optical fiber to be processed is adjusted to the position of the tip of the grindstone 8 in the Y-axis direction (FIG. 2B).
(B) position).

(9) The grindstone 8 is rotated by the motor, and XYZ
The clamp 11 is moved to the grindstone 8 side by the stage 7 by S = (δ−ab + w) / tan θ (1) (FIG. 2B (c)). Here, a: radius of the optical fiber to be processed b: radius of the end surface of the conical grinding wheel 8 w: cutting amount of the peripheral edge of the end surface θ: taper angle of the conical grinding surface δ: eccentric amount of the grinding stone 8 with respect to the shaft 3 is there.

In the state shown in (c) of FIG. 2B in which the cutting is completed, tan θ = x / S∴S = x / tan θ (2) holds. x can be expressed as x = δ−ab−w (3) from FIG. 2B, so that equation (1) is obtained.

(10) Since the processing of one optical fiber 1a is completed in (9), (6) to (9) are repeated in the same manner for each optical fiber to be processed. The body 8a of the grindstone 8 is made of a carbon-containing iron-based metal or stainless steel material, and its conical grinding surface 8c is bonded with diamond abrasive grains of about several tens of microns using a commercially available binder. A ferrule 2 is attached to the strand at the tip of the second optical fiber 14.
2, and the ferrule 22 is pressed into the tip of the center hole 8b. The tip of the second optical fiber 14 is set near the position of the tip surface 8e of the grindstone.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the multi-core optical fiber 1 is kept fixed to the clamp 11 until all the core wires have been processed. No need to do. Therefore, the workability is greatly improved, and there is no danger of breaking the strand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
7A is a side view and a front view of the clamp 11 of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a relative positional relationship between an optical fiber to be processed 1d and a grindstone 8 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a grinding wheel 8 and a shaft 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a conventional chamfering apparatus for a peripheral edge of an optical fiber end face, and FIG. 4B is a clamped multi-core optical fiber 1 of FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the optical fiber 1a of A, and FIG. 4D is an enlarged plan view of the periphery thereof. FIG.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A tip of a multi-core optical fiber to be processed is cut with a uniform length, and a coating on the tip is peeled off over a predetermined length to expose a wire (consisting of a core and a clad). Connect the tip of each optical fiber to the Y-axis of the clamp (Y-axis and X-axis).
The XY plane formed by the axes is parallel to the reference plane).
A conical grindstone is fixed to the groove (having a constant pitch) so that one end protrudes from the V-groove by a predetermined length, and the second optical fiber is fitted into the center hole of the body and fixed. The other end of the second optical fiber is slightly protruded from the other end of the shaft through a hole formed along the axis of the shaft, while being eccentrically fixed by δ to one end of the shaft parallel to the axis and fixed in parallel. The shaft is adjusted so that the eccentric direction of the conical grinding wheel with respect to the shaft coincides with the X-axis (or Z-axis) direction, and the other end of the multi-core optical fiber is connected to a light source. The amount of light emitted from the other end of the second optical fiber is measured with an optical power meter (or light is input from the light source to the other end of the second optical fiber, and one of the other ends of the multi-core optical fiber to be processed is removed). Connected to an optical power meter) and its optical power As indicated value of the meter is maximized, and aligning the second optical fiber end face by moving and adjusting the processed optical fiber by the XYZ stage, the processed optical fiber by the XYZ stage - [delta ([delta]
Is moved in the X-axis (or Z-axis) direction by the amount of eccentricity, the axis is aligned with the axis of the shaft, the motor is rotated, and the optical fiber to be processed is moved in the Y-axis direction by the XYZ stage. A method of chamfering the peripheral edge of the optical fiber, wherein the peripheral edge of the optical fiber is chamfered. 2. A base having an upper surface having a reference plane parallel to an XY plane, an XYZ stage movably mounted on the base, and an axis of a cylindrical shaft having a predetermined height parallel to the Y axis. A motor fixed on the base and a second optical fiber different from the multi-core optical fiber are fitted and fixed in the center hole of the body, and are eccentric and parallel to the tip of the shaft of the motor by δ. A conical whetstone that is attached to the base and is clamped so that the other end of the second optical fiber projects slightly beyond the other end through a hole formed along the axis of the shaft; and is movable on the base. An XYZ stage mounted on the XYZ stage; a clamp fixed on a V-groove parallel to the Y-axis with the end face of each optical fiber of the multi-core optical fiber facing the grindstone, mounted on the XYZ stage; Core optical fiber Is a light source that makes light incident on the other end of the second optical fiber, an optical power meter that measures the amount of light emitted from the other end of the second optical fiber (or the optical fiber to be processed), and an optical fiber that is processed. An optical fiber chamfering apparatus, comprising: a microscope for enlarging an end face and a periphery of the whetstone. 3. An optical fiber is fitted and fixed in a center hole of a cylindrical body, and a conical abrasive surface is formed at one end of the body so as to protrude. In use, the other end of the body is mounted parallel to one end of a motor shaft during use, and the other end of the optical fiber is fitted and fixed in a hole formed along the axis of the shaft. A grindstone characterized in that the end face of the optical fiber is slightly protruded from the other end of the shaft, and is rotated and driven by a motor in this state.